A (Corner of the) Field Defined: Contemplating Name Changes in the Ongoing Professionalization of Basic Writing.

Bolin, Bill

A recent call by its editors to rename the "Journal of Basic Writing" has ramifications toward professionalization of and a wider respect for the discipline of basic writing. Basic writing has been defined differently from composition studies which, in turn, has been distinguished from English studies. This defining process has moved alongside, or as a reaction to, the process of disciplinarity. Basic writing students are generally constructed as those who find academic writing tasks especially challenging. This deficit definition has encouraged administrators to define the field in a particular way by staffing it with temporary adjunct faculty and teaching assistants. If basic writing is to be considered a viable field of study by those not engaged in composition studies, prestige could be provided by using a higher number of full-time, tenured faculty. Another step is for the flagship journal in basic writing to make initial moves and to find a name for that journal that reflects such work and presents a positive image of its subject. The professionalization of basic writing will follow a name change, garnering more respect from both within and without the academy for what scholars in basic writing do. (Contains 31 references.) (CR)